KARACHI: International Steels Limited (ISL) announced the pioneering “ISL Artists in Residence” Programme, which is a unique platform that brings together some of Pakistan’s most talented emerging artists. Indeed the art residency is a manifestation of ISL’s commitment to incubate and facilitate the culture of art and nurture individual artists by providing an enabling environment. To this end, ISL has collaborated with one of Pakistan’s leading art authorities, Canvas Gallery and powerhouse gallery director Sameera Raja to facilitate the residency. The ISL Artists in Residence programme will commence from today (Saturday) and will house artists Aamir Habib, Ahsan Dada, Fahim Rao, Mahbub Jokhio, Safdar Ali and Yasser Vayani. Each artist will be developing pieces of art utilising various materials present at the location. ISL has further collaborated with some of Pakistan’s most acclaimed and seasoned artists to mentor the emerging artists throughout the Residency. These mentors include Amin Gulgee, hailed by the Metropolitan Museum of Art as among Pakistan’s most influential sculptors and recipient of the President’s Pride of Performance award; Indus Valley School of Art & Architecture Fine Arts Department Assistant Professor Asma Mundrawala and internationally acclaimed artist Munawar Ali Syed. The ISL Art Residency will culminate in an Open Day in August where the artists’ work will be displayed at ISL premises. Speaking on the programme, ISL Sales & Marketing Director Samir Chinoy said, “As the pioneering flat steel manufacturers in Pakistan, we seek to promote art through enabling and empowering emerging local artists. Through this Residency, we wish to incubate talent, driving collaboration and providing a space for the mentoring of new artists, along with creating an environment supportive for art to flourish.” Commenting on ISL’s Residency programme, Sameera Raja added, “Art and culture are the cornerstones upon which societies evolve and it is heartening to find a patron of arts in ISL, who is conscious of the need to promote art and who provides an enabling environment for emerging artists to express their artistic ingenuity.” Published in Daily Times, July 22nd , 2017.